Nothing Amusing About Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission

From the Can't-Make-It-Up-Department: When Walter Remmert is not overseeing the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission as its third executive secretary in the past few years (his title may still be interim), he's busy watching over 9,300 amusement rides at carnivals and parks throughout the state as Director of the Bureau of Ride & Safety Measurements.

I didn't make that up. Really.

Remmert was director of racing enforcement for the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission before Daniel Tufano left sometime earlier this year as executive director under a mysterious cloud. Nearly everything about horse racing regulation in Pennsylvania is mysterious.

Questions asked to the racing commissions' executive secretary are referred to a communications person in the Department of Agriculture, which oversees the racing commission. The communications person, who knows nothing about the operations of the horse racing commission, refers questioners to the Right to Know Law section of the Agriculture Department's website. Written questions to the Right to Know department attorney are answered 30 days later in writing, usually with non-specific answers – the hope being that the person asking the question will just get tired of the process and maybe join the circus or carnival, where they might finally get to meet Mr. Remmert making the rounds and doing inspections.

This is in a state that has had as many controversies in racing as it has roller coasters at amusement parks. No one seems to be in charge at the Department of Agriculture that either knows or cares about horse racing and the enforcement of existing rules is, to say the least, questionable. “You have to be careful when you walk through the backstretch at Parx,” a Pennsylvania owner told me not long ago, “because there are so many horses being milk-shaked you might trip over a rubber tube and hurt yourself.”

There are whispers of dozens of positive tests for drugs that have yet to be prosecuted and suggestions that horsemen's organizations are reimbursing some owners the purse money they may have lost through positive tests in cases that were prosecuted – to the tune of hundreds of ￼thousands of dollars.

None of this information makes its way into the sunshine.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Ride & Measurement Standards that Remmert also oversees has its own problems. A recent investigative report by Public Source found that safety inspections aren't being done as required by law. “It was a model program,” a former inspector said of the bureau. “It is a laughingstock now.”

The same can be said of Pennsylvania's Horse Racing Commission, though it was a dysfunctional mess before Remmert was handed the responsibility of running it.

A group of state senators, led by Elder Vogel, whose 47th District includes Lawrence, Beaver and Allegheny Counties, recognize horse racing is not being properly regulated and announced plans to introduce legislation that would amend the 1981 Race Horse Industry Reform Act.

“Currently, the State Racing and Harness Racing Commissions are each comprised of three members as an administrative body under the Department of Agriculture; our proposal dissolves both commissions,” wrote Vogel, in a memorandum seeking co-sponsors that was signed by Sens. Dominic Pileggi, Joseph Scarnati, and Robert Tomlinson. “This proposal will re-establish the function of regulatory oversight of the racing industry within the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.

“Since the inception of the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act, we certainly have seen the economic benefits of our racing industries. Purses, racing days, employees and horses operating at our tracks have all increased. The regulation of the industry has gotten expensive and complex, but now more important than ever. Sadly, live handle (money wagered on our tracks for our horses) has decreased which is the sole funding source for the enforcement of the RHIR. Our legislation will make a number of changes to licensure, fines, fees and the pari-mutual tax structure to properly fund regulatory oversight and drug testing.”

￼It's good to know someone in Pennsylvania understands the system now in place isn't working and that it's past time for a change.

I lived within 10 miles of a PA track for about 30 years – and you wonder why I’ve never been to a horse race? It was one of the easiest tracks to handicap that I’ve ever heard of.

tom Dubrick

Sad…..Illinois needs many changes also. TPD

betterthannothing

Terrible! The system is broken nationwide. Horses suffer the most. A national racing commission is needed to bring law, order and respect into this industry with a department solely dedicated to protect the welfare and safety of race horses. That alone would solve many problems.

Hamish

It is so easy to see, both the problem and the solution. I can’t believe that one or two intelligent members of TJC, TOBA, TRA, RCI or any other stakeholder organization can’t put their prior practices and beliefs aside and understand this, then lead their peers out of this horse industry morass. The state regulatory systems are broken, seemingly so in PA for example, at least according to this report.

betterthannothing

The morass is oozing from racing suits who love power, perks, paychecks and consulting payola far more than racing itself, its future and most of all the welfare and the safety of its innocent two and four legged victims.

Patricia Jones

another mess to clean up wonder if i will live long enough to see clean racing

Joe Backside Worker

Ray, you are only scratching the surface. In addition to watching your step on the backside, you’ll need earplugs for all the shock waving noise. Follow the money going to the horsemen’s and jockeys’ association for health & welfare. Four percent of purses are setting aside for this, but unless you are a trainer stable at a track, try to get benefits. No health insurance for grooms, hot-walkers, exercise people, assistant trainers. Same for retirements. Everything for trainers, nothing for their help. Some of these trainers have received $40-50K. I hope Obamacare sticks these classless and greedy trainers where the sun don’t shine.

Give the politicians and media another five years to figure out the billions they have poured into horse racing has not improved the industry, and then they will use the slot money for a much better purpose.

Ruffian

And how many of those trainers who are benefitting in PA head home across the bridges to NJ every day?

Pa man

There are two sides to the problems in pennsylvania. One is rampant cheating, the other side is penalizing innocent owners and trainers. This is a sign that no one is using their brains over there, nor are they interested in doing the right thing.

For years super trainers have thrived there. Horses claimed from these guys crash. Hard. Permanently……. I have one in my backyard. The poor guy wasted away, lost his hair, abcessed over and over and atrophied. 9 months later, he is finally looking better. One supertrainer transferred his secret powers to his brother, then his wife who is now operating off the farm. She doesn’t even know how to saddle a horse and her percentage is unreal. This same guy went to ny and seems to have slunk away when they started out of competition testing.

On the other side, pa has extreme technology in testing super tiny amounts of anything. Trainers are receiving positives for cases of clear contamination which has no performance enhancing effect on the horse. Hundreds of thousands are lost, people leave the business for no reason. Meanwhile, the above guy is thriving. Other jurisdictions have a toxicologist who cares to prevent this problem.

So, cheating guy becomes a millionaire, clean trainer follows the rule and loses their purse, reputation, and respect for the system. Makes no sense…

Hamish

Isn’t PA under the charge of a Governor that is the ultimate “big” boss? Why doesn’t the guv or his people just fix the problem there? With all the slots money flowing through the horse coffers in the form of “casino assist dollars” in states like PA, getting it right seems a no brainer.

Small town Guy

I have seen the crash too…its soo sad because you cant do anything to help the horse, other than try to make the withdrawal as painless as possible. Dont forget the above trainers owner- High Point, also has horses with another supertrainer…in alot of these cases the greedy owners are the problem. They follow the supertrainers and abandon ship once the streak goes cold.
Also, the drugs these supertrainers are using are undetectable as the tests for them have not be developed or implemented here yet. Once they are detectable, these trainers go the way of the wind and the next set ready to step in. There always seem to be trainers that are one step ahead of the test.

For the honest trainer who actually cares about the welfare of their horses, it sickens you to see how disposable this majestic animals have become…unfortunately its everywhere, not just PA.

Free4All

small town guy sounds like a trainer —yep but can’t train a lion to eat meat.

The assumption of undetectable drugs in PA is ludicrous. They have the best testing labs- commission just chooses to make certain trainers positives go away and allow the PTHA make the calls on who stays to train and compete and who does not fit their little group. Only controlling the competition – No big deal there. They hang the guy or girl who wins at a high % because they just don’t want them to beat the guys that are on the board or support the board and payoff the Racing office. Let’s pass the blame on to the trainers who have never had a positive test but just win, or just win too much. Yes that will solve the problems of our PA State Racing Commission that just goes along with whatever those casino’s are bringing in to pay their high salaries. There would be no Casino slot revenue funding to any of Pennsylvania without the horses and the racetracks who got them approved. Now the influx of money has blinded the regulators too afraid to take on the Horsemen Associations that are only representing the choice few trainers, usually those that play golf together and direct Racing office officials, even try to direct the state stewards . If they don’t get it their way – call management and keep everything quiet. Pointing fingers and calling people cheaters is getting old. Show the proof, and even if they have proof of positive tests only the choice few trainers get fined or suspended. The innocent but good ones get criticized because they work hard and win at a decent rate. There are some trainers that barely feed their horses and they get on these boards and complain- I can’t beat the Super-Trainers. Maybe its time to go work at McDonalds and flip burgers. Much needs to be done to improve Racing Regulations and stop the corruption led by the Commission and the Associations that try to fool everyone. These tracks are controlling competition and getting away with it, and rather than fight for the industry and survival of horse racing you want to stab each other in the back rather than work together to get the entire board of the PTHA to hold all new members. Haven’t they stole enough. As the casino sits back and laughs in our faces because they want us all to keep fighting – they are still making a fortune. The Casino will go on after Parx Racing purses slip back to peanuts. The PA Racing Commission is supposed to manage and uphold what is right and wrong in racing. They are afraid to make judgements against the very tracks that house Casinos that create the revenue that pay their salaries. The PTHA at Parx and Penn Nat’l need an overhaul and quick before the next election just keeps getting worse.

FANNOMORE

I TOO CLAIMED BACK HORSES FROM THESE SO CALLED SUPERTRAINERS AND HAD TO WAIT FOR THE WITHDRAWL SYMPTOMS TO DISAPEAR SOMETIMES 6-8 MONTHS. I RACED ALL UP AND DOWN THE EAST COAST AND FOUND PA MORE CORRUPT. THE LEADING TRAINER AT PENN NATIONAL WAS ACCUSED BY HER EX OF ILLEGAL PRACTICES AND SHE HAD HIM ARRESTED FOR ASSAULT ARE THESE THE TYPE OF PEOPLE WE WANT IN HORSERACING AND NOTHING IS EVER DONE TO THE GUILTY PARTIES. THAT IS WHY I LEFT RACING

Free4All

Pa man get a life.

Jay Stone

Clearly the states as a whole are incapable of regulating racing. There are a few that get it and a few that try but overall it is bad and getting worse. Racing groups are all trying to take over but most have their own agendas. Even with a bureaucratic mess to deal with either the anti doping agency or some federal organization has to step up and try to organize this. The horses suffer, the gamblers suffer, and the owners suffer. The horseman’s groups are ineffectual and mostly cater to horsemen. Everything has become regional. Instead of political flunkies put people in charge with a knowledge of the industry, law enforcement backgrounds, and a stake in the industry. For multiple drug offenders or major infractions throw a meaningful penalty at these offenders. Some offenses involve federal statutes so prosecute them through the U.S. attorneys office. Take winning purses from owners whose trainers breaks medication rules a d see how fast those trainers clean up their act or lose all their horses. N.Y. Regulators ruined Dutrow’s career and there are guys out there that make him look like a choir boy.

Harry

Jay who do you think run these horsemen”s groups? The cheaters that’s who now why would they rule them selfs off or want anything different to happen? You need some horsemen in there that’s is retired or quit because they didn’t want to play there game or couldn’t afford it!!!! Then you would see heads role for they really now what’s happening! He would be the biggest a-hole in the world ! But he would help clean up the game!!!!! For they have seen most of every thing that goes on! This truly would make to much sense! That’s why it will never happen!!!!! In the outside world it would happen but not in the horse world!!!!!!!

Jay Stone

Horseman’s groups cannot be regulatory. Anybody within these groups would have an agenda one way or the other. There needs to be a national group with both power and knowledge straightening out this mess

Laura

well stated Harry!!!

betterthannothing

Racing will not change as long as its abusers, cheaters and assorted bloody enablers and profiteers are getting rich and stay in control. The only way to change racing is to break the silence in a major way.

A strong group of well informed, totally fed-up and horrified horsemen and witnesses should break the code of silence and publicly shame racing by sharing disturbing experiences, photos and videos with the NYT, 60 Minutes and/or other major media channels willing to investigate and report the truth.

It must be done to save abused and endangered horses and riders, bring back or revive the stable of ethical and caring horsemen and attract fans to racing.

The horseman’s groups have to protect their membership whether they are right or wrong. That is why they exist. The problem is by doing this they actually negatively impact the vast majority of their membership who have never had a problem. This is why they should never be involved In regulation or enforcement. It would be like making the defense attorney the prosecutor. USADA is a good start

betterthannothing

Horsemen groups’ main mission should be to promote ethical, transparent and safer racing if anything to save the goose that lays their golden eggs.

PTP

I’ve always said, in the rare instance when I bet into PA’s 30% takeouts (hey, I thought takeouts were supposed to go down when you get billions in slot money?), I feel icky…… Like I did something I should not be doing, like watching Long Island Medium or cranking up the Milli Vanilli.

After reading this story and these comments, I should feel icky.

PTP

Sinking Ship

Why is slots revenue still funneling to this dysfunctional industry in Pennsylvania? Cut it off and let it sink or swim. Give the money to schools or something worthwhile, not criminal regulators and trainers.

Hamish

According to recent reports, on average, 86% of the purse money paid in PA comes from the slots program. Take this subsidy away, and the whole PA deal falls apart. How important is PA to the national horse scene and what are the Pa power brokers looking to do with the slots money if it weren’t going to horses are the concerns. Ineffective regulation, in the big picture, is just one consideration.

Marion N.

Because in order to get their states gaming licenses for slots and casino games, they have to have live racing of either horses or dogs… Same in other states with casinos at their tracks.
So far this is only showing terrifying results as chain reaction…

Needles

And the 80% who are good people and breed horses and try to make a buck get the shaft. How about putting the slots money into fixing the problem, not penalizing the vast majority who play the game right.

betterthannothing

If racing was lead by strong, ethical and visionary people with love and respect for lives and racing instead of allowing miscreants to reach critical mass, the immediate and on-going looting of slot money by drugging, abusing and trafficking in claiming horses to grab evil-tempting purses would have been prevented.

The temporary golden windfall from casinos should have been carefully invested to boost safety, racing quality and reputation by cutting itself into a manageable, attractive size. Sadly, the exact opposite happened, mexican drug lords and all.

deadmoney

The Gov. isn’t going to do anything to help racing. The Teapublican Gov. wanted to raid the racing appropriation and put it in the General Fund so he could use the money elsewhere. Horsemen be damned.

Hamish

Why should the Governor do anything at all to help the horse industry if indeed the horse racing culture in PA is corrupt? This is a very slippery slope that makes horsemen arguments difficult to swallow.

15percenttakeoutMonmouthpick4

.
.I hope the Gov. does. They don’t deserve the slot money.

rjgman

so honest hard working owners and trainers who love the sport and the horses who compete , should suffer because of another inept government department and a hand full of greedy cheating trainers and officials clean it up , start at the top and work your way down. want to know who is cheating ? look for the trainer with a 35% win rate and that guy is doing something, it is the equivilant of hitiing 400 in baseball or rushing for 2500 yds in football. things things just don’t happen.

15percenttakeoutMonmouthpick4

.
.
You can blame the Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association which are against lowering the takeout among other things.

Sinking Ship

The PTHA brass makes the Racing Commission look like choirboys … how about an investigation into where all the slots money is going in THAT organization? Would be a very entertaining read, for sure.

15percenttakeoutMonmouthpick4

.
.Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association

Salvatore DeBunda
President

Michael P. Ballezzi, Esq.
Executive Director and Owner/Director

Sinking Ship

You hit the nail on the head.

Free4All

the most corrupt part of Racing – and evidently they are the highest paid

Richard C

It’s all about the big cash from alternative gaming…..and the gambling door that was opened by the equine athletes gets quickly slammed on their noses.

Not my fault Walt

Only in the circus world of Pa State government, could people associated with the ineffective, fatally flawed, Pa Horse Racing Commission also be responsible for compliance that determines the safety of its citizens. Can’t or refuse to stop cheating and corruption? Lets let you inspect high flying roller coasters. What’s next? Are they going to let the stewards manage safety checks at Three Mile Island? No accountability, no consistency, selective rule and statute application, and one big fat FBI investigation that traces right back to heads turning the other way and pathetic apathy. This agency would pat Walter White, the breaking bad chemist, on the back, and name him horseman of the year.

Mimi Hunter

I grew up in PA. A harness racing track opened near home. I could routinely pick about 80/85% winners. The only question I needed answered was: Has the horse won in it’s past 3 or 4 starts? If the answer was ‘No’ then they were about due. I really don’t think the that is what the handicappers mean by ‘past performance’. This was about 40 years ago. Problems with the honesty/integrity of horse racing there has been bad for a long time. It hasn’t changed any – maybe it’s even worse.

ThatsAllFolks

Racing in Pennsylvania = 40,000.00 jobs. Slots and casinos will remain. The supplemental money provided from the casinos that subsidizes the thoroughbred industry will get chipped away over the next few years until there is nothing left. Racing is too far gone and the state of Pa is 1.5 billion in the hole. There is cheating in every business or sport that has ever been played for the last 1000 years.That being said, opinions without facts are simply worthless opinions and dont do anything to make the business look any better. The business as a whole definitely needs to clean up its act and police itself because outside authorities do not understand racing. If they dont there will be thousands looking for work. If thats not motivation dont know what is.

Convene

Don’t bank on the jobs keeping slots and casinos at the tracks. Ontario racing = over 60,000 jobs and look at the “job” that was done on them! The only tracks so blessed now are harness tracks. The rest can go do you-know-what to themselves.

Sinking Ship

That 40,000 jobs number was concocted by the Pa. breeders & horsemen when they tried to show the legislature how much the industry needed the slots money and how it would be impacting jobs. I challenge anyone to show that there are actually 40,000 jobs at stake.

Hamish

If one researches the actual jobs number, one seems to recall the PA Equine Coalition touting such job numbers from a study that they commissioned in late 2009 that was performed by Tripp/Umbach. Shortly thereafter, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture used the same statistics in a presentation to the Pennsylvania Gaming Conmtrol Board promoting the success of Act 71 slots subsidies, pointing out the huge number of jobs created as a result of this program. Many legislators and industry stakeholders examined and evaluated these figures and subsequently challenged their validity. What the real jobs number is a mystery.

Needles

40,000 is ludicrous, but it would be five figures (closer to 10,000). still nothing to sneeze at.

pete

And how many of those jobs are filled by illegals? Maybe they police better in PA then NJ or NY but when they throw around these statistics and trainers state that they cannot find Americans willing to do the jobs, whom are many of these jobs for?

August Song

Another broken system!!!

wabstat

Again, racing’s biggest problem is “horsemen”.

Laura

You mean the lack of them, didn’t you?

Birdy2

You hit the nail right on the head. I was friends (well, acquaintances) with a Texas guy who was carrying drugs onto the backside at Penn. A hapless idiot, had his horses with Delahoussaye (and they weren’t really his horses, long story). Le crétin du Texas got busted, but none of the trainers he sold to got popped? Really? Explain me that one.

Michael Murray

Whatever problems PA may currently be having, it is important to note that horse racing properly belongs under the supervision of Agriculture and not Gaming within state governments. If you think PA horse racing is taking a backseat to roller coasters now, wait til you see how much attention they get when under the same tent with the almighty slot machines. State Ag departments in general are tasked with the promotion of agricultural products, and it is the promotion of our product and our sport which is the important thing. Also, when it comes to pursuing a political agenda, the natural allies of horse breeders and owners are the hay and grain producers, farmers, and farm equipment suppliers, who want to see us survive for their own benefit. Most “gaming” industry promoters can’t wait for horse racing to die, and conduct their management and political activities accordingly.

hammerman947

I might be inclined to agree that Gaming might not be the best choice for the reasons you stated. However, Agriculture is equally poor as evidenced by their lousy handling of it thus far. A largely do nothing bureau of state government who’s main function of organizing fairs and choosing the Bedford County Swine Queen is hardly capable of overseeing racing.

I think a better choice would be the Department of Law and Public Safety. If there were a detachment of State Police on the backside and cheaters were taken away in handcuffs perhaps maybe some of the undesireables would find other ways to make a dishonest living. Also year round racing is a big part of the problem and needs to end.

For several years I have been trying to convince every reader of The Paulick Report and a few other venues that the regulation of thoroughbred racing in this country is severely lacking in well qualified and unbiased regulators. This is not a blanket indictment by any means, however the exemptions are few. Since the industry is regulated by (boards) of stewards and (members) of racing commissions whose rulings and adjudications are unfortunately not accompanied by information regarding the votes of the individuals. Without that, someone trying to do the right thing can get lost in the votes of the majority. If all stewards and racing commissioners were required to support their votes by written explanation, that would be a great step on the way to transparency and many things would change.
At the root of all actions taken by stewards and racing commissioners lies a governor. The governor appoints members to the commission which in turn approves who will and who will not serve as stewards. Governors create some monsters and when this becomes evident it is simply tolerated. Those beholden to a governor will certainly not criticize him or her and those who are not beholden don’t scream loud enough or often enough. Then there is the largest group made up of those who do not care. Believe it or not, the solutions to each and every one of these problems is very simple.

Laura

And that does state the truth! Thanks for your input!!

Birdy2

You’re correct on every point. Sincerely, Linda Broussard

betterthannothing

As always great post, Lou! Because racing has so many brilliant minds and so much money and effort poured into horses, racing and breeding, it is hard to understand how dysfunctional it has been allowed to become. I pray that the good, honest, visionary people, true lovers of horses and fair, fun, solid competition, will get together and either clean-up and improve racing with major reforms or split away from the cruel, corrupt, toxic mess which would –hopefully for the horses left behind– disappear quickly.

fb0252

Key statement in OP to me:

“The regulation of the industry has gotten expensive and complex, but are now more important than ever. Sadly, live handle…has decreased, which is the sole funding source for enforcement.”

my Q–which is first–a funding source for regulation, or regulation? It’s well and good to tear into operations in any state. Easy to do. What are the solutions? According to OP, they’re working on it. What more to be asked?

Chambers

Pennsylvania racing is a total disgrace. Shut the place down and start over. Milkshaking galore and 30% takeouts are horrendous. Get someone reputable to run racing there. Enough make believe Kings and Clowns there already. Clean house and get a system in place that racing fans around the country could be halfway proud of.

Anderson5999

Ray, this could be a story worthy of a TV newscast, like “60 Minutes.” What a joke the Pa. Racing Commission and the entire industry is!

elkton stable

Pennsylvania has had a long history of problems with prolonged anomlous racing trends. Eventually they get curbed but the process takes way too long and the damage done breeds cynacism among horsemen. The infrastructure of administrative and governing officials are implanted with little to no working knowledge of the industry over which they preside. Cocktail appointments to key positions on the commission and conflicts of interest in the Horseman’s Association are unhelpful and tantimout to a rudderless ship. Pennsylvania has an abundance of good horsemen and women that are capable of working toward providing a more cogent and effective regulatory environment. Start selecting true horsemen for these important positions and the malaise will dissipate in relatively short order. In the mean time, I will stay put in NY ( an organization still strongly guided by horsemen in all capacity and function) with my PA breds thank you.

Ron O.

After three years at Parx, I could not take the nonsense any more, so I moved my small stable back to Monmouth. Much to my chagrin, much of the same in NJ. I hate to say this, but after 13 years of thoroughbred ownership, I’ve got one foot out the door…something I thought I would NEVER consider.

Yep. In 2008, I sent an open records request asking for the names of all TB trainers who’d caught bad tests, what they caught those tests for, and the names of all TB horses who’ been euthanized at the tracks. What did I get in return? A list of trainers’ names. No explanations, no dates, nothing that I asked for. Repeated phone calls got me NOWHERE. Now I know why. Here’s the utterly meaningless list they sent me, exactly as they sent it, in response to my open records request, as mysterious now as it was in 2008:

ABRAMS, RONALD,

ABRAMS, RONALD

ADAMO, ANTHONY

ALBRIGHT, AMY

ALBRIGHT, DONA

ALEXANDER, MARGARET

ALLEN, RONALD D. SR.

ALLINSON, VERNON J.

ALLINSON, VERNON J.

ANDRADE, PABLO

ANDRADE, PABLO

ARISTONE, PHILIP T.

ARISTONE, PHILIP T.

ARISTONE, PHILIP T.

ASMUSSEN, STEVEN

BACKUS, JAMES

BAKER, SHAUN R.

BANFORD, SHARON

BARBALIOS, VARSAMIS

BARBARAN, HORACIO

BAYLEY, PERRY H.

BAZEOS, PETER

BEATTIE JR., RICHARD L.

BEATTIE TODD

BEATTIE, RYAN

BEATTIE, STEPHANIE

BEATTIE, STEPHANIE

BEATTIE, STEPHANIE

BEATTIE, STEPHANIE

BEATTIE, STEPHANIE

BEATTIE, STEPHANIE

BEATTIE, STEPHANIE

BEATTIE, STEPHANIE

BEATTIE, STEPHANIE

BEATTIE, STEPHANIE S.

BEDARD, ALAN

BEDARD, ALAN

BEDARD, ALAN

BENNETT, GERALD

BENNETT, GERALD

BETANCOURT, ELI

BIAMONTE, RALPH

BOBADILLA, JOSE

BONIFACE Jr., JOHN B.

BORHAM, MICHEAL E.

BOURKE, WILLIAM J.

BOURKE, WILLIAM J.

BOUROUDIS, CHRISTOS

BOWERSOCK, CHAD R.

BROWN, STEVEN R.

BROWN, STEVEN R.

CALDERON, LUIS

CARTER, ANDREW B.

CHUMNEY, KEVIN K.

CIFARELLI, FRANK

CIFARELLI, FRANK

CLASS, RAYMOND W. KULP, BRANDON L.

COLLAZO, VICTOR O.

CONNER, JOHN

CONNER, JOHN

CONNER, JOHN

CONNER, JOHN

CONNER, JOHN

CORRENTI, ANTHONY

CORRENTI, ANTHONY

CORRENTI, ANTHONY

COUSE, MAGGIE P.

CRACE, JOHN R.

CRAIG, GARY

CRAIG, GARY

CRUMLEY, JEVON D.

CURRRY, DEE

CURRY, DEE

DANDY, RONALD J.

DANDY, RONALD J.

DAVIS, SCOOTER

DAVIS, SCOOTER

DELAHOUSSAYE,

DARREL

DEMASI, KATHLEEN

DEPASQUALE, KIMBERLY

DUNN, JOHN J.

DUTROW, ANTHONY W.

ENGLEHART, CHRISTOPHER

ESTRADA, EBERD

ESTRADA, EBERD

ESTRADA, EBERD

ESTRADA, EBERD

ESTRADA, EBERD

ESTRADA, EBERD

ESTRADA, EBERD

EVERETT, SCOTT

EXPOSITO, ADOLFO

FAHEY III, JOHN

FARLEY, PHILLIP

FARRO, PATRICIA

FERRARO, M. ANTHONY

FRANCIS, MICHELLE

FRANCIS, MICHELLE

FROCK, CHARLES

GALLEGOS, JOSE

GALSTER, GREG

GIBSON, JONAS

GILIFORTE, LAYNE

GIRTEN, TIM

GOLDENBERG, KATHRYN

GONZALEZ, ANDREA

GORHAM, MICHAEL E.

GORHAM, MICHAEL E.

GORHAM, ROBERT

GORHAM, ROBERT

GORMAN, MICHAEL

GRACI, KIMBERLY

GRAHAM, PATRICK J.

GRAY, CHARLES

GROVE, CHRISTOPHER

GROVE, CHRISTOPHER

GUADET, EDMOND

GUERERRO, JUAN C.

HALL, WILLIAM E.

HARIGEORGIOU, CONSTANTINO

HEDUS, WILLIAM

HEDUS, WILLIAM C.

HELMETAG, ROBERT

HENDRICKSON, LORI

HENDRIKS, RICHARD J.

HOBSON, SIMON

HOOPER, TIMONTHY

HOOPER, TIMOTHY

HOUGHTON, DOVE

HOUGHTON, DOVE P.

HOUGHTON, DOVE P.

HUSTON, RORY K.

HUSTON, RORY K.

IWINSKI, ALLEN

JACOBSON, DAVID

JEANNONT, DIANNNE

JEANNOTT, DIANE

JENKINS, BRANDON

JENKINS, BRANDON

JENKINS, BRANDON

JENKINS, BRANDON

JENKINS, BRANDON

JENKINS, BRANDON

JOHNSON, JENNIFER

JOHNSON, JENNIFER A.

KAZAMIAS, PETER

KAZAMIAS, PETER

KAZAMIAS, PETER

KISSOON, RAPHAEL

KLESARIS, STEVE

KLESARIS, STEVE

KLESARIS, STEVEN

KOKORONIS, ANTHANASIOS

KRANZ, MARK

KREISER, TIMONTHY C.

LAKE, SCOTT

LAKE, SCOTT

LAKE, SCOTT

LALMAN, DENNIS

LALMAN, DENNIS S.

LANDICINI, CHRISTOPHER

LEBARRON, KEITH

LEBARRON, KEITH W.

LETTS, JOHN D.

LEVARI, DAVINA

LICESSE, MICHAEL

LINGENFELTER, THOMAS

LOESCHER, PAULA L.

LYNCH, CATHAL

LYNCH, CATHAL A.

MANNING, DENNIS J.

MARTIN, JOSEPH R.

MARTINEZ, ALEXANDER

MARTINEZ, JOSE

MAYMO, ALEJAENDRO

MAYMO, ALEJANDRO

McCALISTER, BOBBIE J.

McCARTHY, MICHAEL J.

MENA II, PASTOR

MENARDE, FRANK

MICK, STEPHEN R.

MILLER, MARLIN A.

MONTOYA, MARYA K.

MORENO, TITO

MOSCO, ROBERT

MOSCO, ROBERT

MUHLENBERG, ELLA

NEILSON, WALLACE

NESS, JAMIE

NESS, JAMIE

NICHOLSON, JAMES

NICHOLSON, JAMES

NUNLEY, RANDY

O’CONNELL, KATHLEEN

O’CONNELL, KATHLEEN

O’CONNOR, STEPHEN T.

O’HERN, HEATHER

O’HERN, HEATHER

ORELLANA, OSCAR

ORELLANA, OSCAR

ORESENO, JOSEPH F.

PESSANHA, NEY

PETRO, MICHAEL P.

PHAM, VAN

PINO, MICHAEL V.

PLEVER, DUANE

POINTER, NORMAN R.

POINTER, NORMAN R.

POINTER, NORMAN R.

POINTER, TOM

POTTS, RON G.

PRECIADO, RAMON

PRECIADO, RAMON

PRECIADO, RAMON R.

RADOSEVICH, JEFFERY

RADOSEVICH, JEFFREY

RADOSEVICH, JEFFREY

RADULSKI, SUSAN A.

RANDOLPH, AMY

RANDOLPH, JOHN

RASZEWSKI, JOSEPH R.

REAGAN, NORMAN

REED, ERIC

REID JR., ROBERT E.

RIGERS, JO. MICHAEL

RITCHEY, TIMOTHY

RIVERA, BILBERTO

RIVERA, GILBERTO

RODRIGUEZ, CARLOS F.

RODRIGUEZ, FRANKLIN

RODRIGUEZ, JOSE

RODRIGUEZ, RUDY

ROGERS, HEATHER

ROGERS, J. MICHAEL

ROGERS, J. MICHAEL

ROGERS, J. MICHAEL

ROGERS, RONALD W.

ROJAS, MURRAY

ROJAS, MURRAY

ROJAS, MURRAY

ROJAS, MURRAY

ROJAS, MURRAY

ROJAS, MURRAY

ROJAS, MURRAY

ROJAS, MURRAY

ROJAS, MURRAY

ROWAN, STEVE E.

RUSSO, VICTOR

SALVAGGGIO, MARK

SALVAGGIO JR., MICHAEL

SALVAGGIO JR., MICHAEL

SALZMAN, TIMOTHY

SAMANIEGO, JOSE

SANDOVAL, FRANCISCO

SEREY JR., MARIO

SEREY, MARIO

SERVIDEO, ROBERT

SHAW, TIMOTHY

SHEPPARD, JONATHAN

SHERMAN-JIMINEZ, LAUREN

SHUMAN, JOSEPH

SHUMAN, MARK

SHUMAN, MARK

SHUMAN, MARK

SHUMAN, MARK

SHUMAN, MARK

SHUMAN, MARK

SIMONE, MICHAEL V.

SINNEFIA, PAULINA

SINNEFIA, PAULINA

SKAWINSKI, CAROL

SOWLE, SCOTT

STABILE, ANTHONY A.

STITES, FLINT

STITES, FLINT

SYNNEFIAS, DIMITRIOS

TAYLOR JR., RONALD E.

TAYLOR, BRYANT R.

TAYLOR, BRYANT R.

THOMPSON JR., HARRY

TRACY, JAMES

TRACY, JIM

TRACY, JIM

TRACY, JIM

TRACY, JIM

TRACY, JIM

TRIOLA, ROBERT

TROMBETTA, MICHAEL

TROMBETTA, MICHAEL

TROMBETTA, MICHAEL

TULLOCK, JR. TIMOHTY

VASQUEZ, DARIO

VASQUEZ, DARIO

VAZQUEZ, JUAN C.

VAZQUEZ, JUAN C.

VAZQUEZ, JUAN C.

VAZQUEZ, JUAN C.

VEGA, RICARDO

VEGA, RICARDO

VEGA, RICHARD

VELAZQUEZ, ALFREDO

VITALI, MARCUS J.

WADAMS, DEWIGHT

WADAMS, DEWIGHT

WATSON, SYNDEN

WEBB, SAMUEL

WEBB, SAMUEL

WEBB, SAMUEL

WEBB, SAMUEL

WEBB, SAMUEL E.

WELLS, DAVID

WELLS, DAVID

WELLS, DAVID J.

WERNER, RONNY

WEST, BENJAMIN F.

WHITE, DONALD R.

WISMER, GLENN S.

WOLFE JR., BOB

WOLFE JR., BOB

WOLFE JR., BOB A.

WOLFENDALE, SUE A.

ZIELINSKI, RICHARD

somebodyswatching

Pa Racing Commission you can tell them when a Racing Secretary is racing a her out of there
back yard. You can tell them the rule that is be broken. You can have witnesses loading her horse before the race and unloading her horse after the race and nothing ever said.

somebodyswatching

Pa Racing Commission makes people so upset they cant even type correctly.
Pa Racing Commission you can tell them when a Racing Secretary is racing a horse out of there
back yard.

somebodyswatching

Management of tracks no better they see Racing Secretarys father racing there horse in 4 and 5 horse fields when there were larger fields that could have be used and they say nothing.
Do they think that the people from the backside talk. Rules broken probally not but people
are not stupid. This will effect the slots. Wake up Pa.

15percenttakeoutMonmouthpick4

.
.Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association

Salvatore DeBunda
President

Michael P. Ballezzi, Esq.
Executive Director and Owner/Director

These people don’t care about their customers, everyone should call the Governor and ask him to rescind the slot machines for Penn. racetracks.

Absolute Insurer

My question is who is the lawyer for the PTHA ???? He/she should be doing more to ensure the organization has proper governance and transparency. Is the PTHA part of the national HBPA ? Ray – thanks for the excellent reporting.

anderson5999

Both DeBunda and Ballezzi are lawyers.

we’re watching

Can you spell MOB??

pete

ractopamine testing? they are getting away with anything…..and the breeders are probably in cahotos with the commission same as NJ. Politics as usual

from pa

Being from PA…this is APPALLING, to say the least!!!! It may certainly explain why my family could never “figure” the horses at Parx! (We stopped going to Parx years ago due to that fact and the inadequate seating arrangement ). I do know that a few years ago when I called the PHRC and spoke to an extremely rude fellow, subsequently asking him “just what are your duties? What do you do everyday at your job?”…he did not answer but hung up!
It’s all just another example of the failing industry….we haven’t bet since May and will not be betting on the BC. Racing has lost 3 long-time fans (and bettors).